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Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Herbert L. Thomas,
Sr., was a prominent Arkansas businessman with interests in insurance, banking,
and real estate. He was born in Lone Prairie, Ashley County, Arkansas, on
February 14, 1899. Thomas founded the First Pyramid Life Insurance Company in
1925 and served as its president until 1960. In 1961, Thomas purchased 500
acres of land near Heber Springs on Greers Ferry Lake in Cleburne County.
During the next decade, he helped develop Eden Isle resort along with Red Apple
Inn Country Club and Conference Center. In 1953, as President of First Pyramid
Life, Thomas helped purchase the City National Bank of Fort Smith, and in 1963,
also bought the Citizens Bank of Booneville. He died on March 11, 1982.

This collection
contains records pertaining to First Pyramid Life Insurance Company, Eden Isle,
Red Apple Inn, Citizens Bank of Booneville, and City National Bank of Fort
Smith, as well as personal papers.